BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Nomo Could Miss Next Start

Hideo Nomo has developed a stiff right elbow that could jeopardize his next scheduled start Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

Nomo, who missed the second half of last season in Japan because of tendinitis in his right shoulder, doesn’t consider the injury serious. Yet, the elbow started to bother him after his last start Thursday, and it became troublesome Saturday.

“I think he’ll be able to make his next start,” said Dr. Frank Jobe, who examined Nomo on Saturday afternoon, “but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s bothered him a little the last couple of days, but got a little worse today.”

“We still hope he’ll be able to make his next start,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president. “It’s not unusual for pitchers to have this. But obviously I’ll be less concerned if he starts the game Tuesday and pitches well.”

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The Dodgers have decided that rookie Roger Cedeno will be the everyday center fielder until further notice.

The Dodgers’ biggest concern is whether Cedeno is capable of hitting major league pitching, but his defensive skills could compensate for any offensive deficiencies while Todd Hollandsworth is on the disabled list until mid-September.

“I know I can do it,” said Cedeno, who was hitting .300 with two home runs and 40 runs batted in at triple-A Albuquerque. “The first time I got up here [for two weeks beginning June 20], there was a lot of pressure on me. I knew I was probably going to go down, so I wanted to show them what I can do right away.”

“Now, I have some time to show I can hit.”

The Dodgers had engaged in preliminary trade talks with the Montreal Expos to acquire center fielder Moises Alou but those talks died this week when Alou didn’t clear waivers.

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Cincinnati Red General Manager Jim Bowden, fearing that the Dodgers would acquire Alou and possibly reliever Mel Rojas or starter Jeff Fassero in a package deal, put waiver claims on all the Expo players.

“I talked with Fred [Claire], and there was interest,” Expo General Manager Kevin Malone said, “but nothing’s going to happen now. They’re one of the limited number of organizations I’d trade with because I like a lot of their players, and they like a number of ours.”

Also, it is believed Bowden was also the one who claimed the Pirates’ Orlando Merced and Jeff King to keep them from being traded to Houston. Until Aug. 31, teams must obtain waivers on players before trading them. The Pirates withdrew the waivers after Merced and King were claimed.